OFFSTAGE: Darius Rucker: True Believer in Hank Williams

(CMT Offstage keeps a 24/7 watch on everything that’s happening with country music artists behind the scenes and
out of the spotlight.)

Darius Rucker has a new song out today
(Aug. 27) called “True Believers.” It’s the first single off his upcoming album due out early next year. But the song Rucker
and I talked about last week was a very, very old song — his soulful cover of Hank
Williams‘ “Your Cheatin’ Heart.” (You can preview it for free on the
Jim Beam website.)

When I asked him why he chose a 60-year-old song, he told me he’s always loved that song. “There’s
still a lot of people in our business that don’t believe I love country music,” he said. “They don’t believe I love Patsy
Cline. They don’t believe I love Hank Sr. I do. I’ve had their
records since I was 16 years old.”

As for “True Believers,” Rucker said the message of the song is, “My life works
for me, whether it’s what you agree with or not.” And he also described it to me, simply, as an upbeat anthem about that person
who believes in you.